[Objective complaints and results of memory tests in depression and diffuse brain damage]

Memory complaints are a common symptom among hospitalized depressed and brain damaged patients. In present work we attempted to identify factors that affected the severity and character of these complaints. 21 hospitalized psychiatric patients with diagnosis of major depressive disorder, and 21 patients with diffuse brain damage, participated in the study. They completed self-reported memory questionnaire, mood questionnaire and performed on neuropsychological memory tests. There were lower performance results on several memory tests in results the brain damaged group but no between-groups difference was found the in self-reported memory questionnaire. The results suggest that different factors contributed to subjectively experienced memory problems in each group. Current mood state and immediate memory deficit were the most important predictors in the depressed group. In brain damaged patients, memory complaints the were associated with delayed story recall problems and learning deficit.